8 months later: Where is the Pixel 8 Pro's promised Zoom Enhance feature?

Google teased a so-called Zoom Enhance feature during the Pixel 8 series launch last year. This feature would use generative AI to enhance a picture’s details after the fact when you zoom in on it, akin to the same effect seen in TV shows like CSI. It’s been almost eight months since the feature was revealed, so where is it?

The company noted at the time of the Zoom Enhance reveal that it would be coming to the Pixel 8 Pro via a future Feature Drop. The December and March Feature Drops have already landed, though, and we haven’t seen the functionality yet.

Google is still working on the tech, as Pixel Camera executive Isaac Reynolds hinted at in a recent Inverse interview. For what it’s worth, the outlet added that it’s a “coming-soon feature.”

We hope Zoom Enhance is still coming to the Pixel 8 Pro rather than eventually launching as a Pixel 9 Pro-only feature. After all, there are bound to be a few people who bought the Pixel 8 Pro partially because Google said it was coming to their phones. Even if it eventually comes to the Pixel 8 Pro, eight or more months is a long time to wait for a key feature that was touted at launch.

Nevertheless, Zoom Enhance could be a game-changer for mobile photography if it works as advertised. This would theoretically allow users to get higher-quality crops from existing photos. The combination of Zoom Enhance and the Pixel 8 Pro’s 5x camera could also make for fantastic long-range zoom snaps after the fact.

We’ve asked a Google representative whether Zoom Enhance is still in the works for the Pixel 8 Pro and if the company has a launch timeline to share. We’ll update the article if/when they get back to us. All eyes will undoubtedly be on the June Pixel Feature Drop to see whether Zoom Enhance arrives then.